#sschat

I just spent the last hour watching a twitter chat, and occasionally participating in it, all about social studies, particularly tonight, the topic of debate.  And I took 3 pages of notes.  I couldn't figure out where to take notes digitally fast enough flipping back and forth between the notes and the chat, so I grabbed my "classroom ideas" notebook and started there.  A couple ideas that I really liked and want to implement:

1. During the 1st week of school, set up all technology and accounts with students, do they need google accounts or edmodo or schoology accounts? (two new online educational groups, similar to blackboard for students)
2. Post debate vocab words on the board for students to see, such as "my opponent" and "the negative side" as well as good verbs to use, and then teach those words at the beginning of the year, and watch as students begin to use them in their debate
3. Have a participation card system, or talking chips, to monitor or increase participation.  Either have green/yellow/red cards for students, or students only get x number of chips to speak x number of times.
4. Preparation is key for debates going well, both for students and teachers.  Give them graphic organizers for their topic-research, they list the pros and cons of their side, guess the pros/cons of opposite side, come up with x number of points supporting their argument.
5. Possibly have a judges panel.  If using students, they create a checklist of key points for both sides, write a debrief of the debate, and can award points for good supports.  Can also invite parents or community members to judge.
6. Debates aren't just about winning/losing.  Have the entire class try to come to a consensus at the end of the debate.  Can set an amount of the class if necessary...100% v. 75%.  Maybe in DC the lesson of the debate can be that students can come to consensus, why can't congress? (Another debate topic: Is it good or bad that Congress doesn't often come to a consensus? AP Govt class there)
7. Post-debate everyone must write/debrief to make it effective.  Have to summarize their points, and the opposing points (tell them ahead of time so they can take notes if they want to, or make them), and then critique both sides, maybe have some self assessment, add forgotten or just thought of points, ask further questions for further study.  Maybe write a letter to another student in the class, discuss whether they would switch sides, etc.

For the past week I've been pretty bored, I don't think I'll ever be a stay at home mom once the kids are in school because I'd go crazy.  I need something to do.  I was getting pretty frustrated with not knowing where I'm going to be in 3 months (obviously the DC area, but doing what? living where?) because I'm a planner and I would love to be able to plan my classroom and the year starting now.  That plus the unsureness of the job market has made it even more tough to stay positive, but participating in the chat tonight (even by just watching it) really made me want my own classroom and want to do whatever I can do get it.  Did I mention that I made it to the 4th round of the first process for DCPS? Oh yea.  I teach a 30 minute lesson to middle schoolers Thurs the 26th at Sousa Middle School (in Southeast).  If I pass that I get to talk to principals.  Hopefully about then the NoVa schools will be kicking into gear too.